Cleaning auxiliary tool

ABSTRACT

A separator unit is a cleaning auxiliary tool to be inserted into an air/water feeding cylinder. The separator unit includes a partition plate for partitioning an air feeding conduit side and a water feeding conduit side, and two elastic members in an air/water feeding cylinder. The two elastic members are arranged at an outer circumferential side of the partition plate. When an internal pressure on the air feeding conduit side corresponds to an internal pressure on the water feeding conduit side, the elastic members are spaced apart from an inner wall of the air/water feeding cylinder by a predetermined distance, and when one of the internal pressures on the air feeding conduit and the water feeding conduit becomes higher than the other, one of the elastic members is deformed by receiving the higher internal pressure and comes in close contact with the inner wall of the air/water feeding cylinder.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a divisional application of U.S. application Ser.No. 14/878,308 filed on Oct. 8, 2015, which is a continuationapplication of PCT/JP2014/078222 filed on Oct. 23, 2014 and claimsbenefit of Japanese Application No. 2014-030897 filed in Japan on Feb.20, 2014, the entire contents of each of which are incorporated hereinby reference.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a cleaning auxiliary tool for use incleaning and disinfecting an endoscope.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventionally, an endoscope is cleaned and disinfected by a cleaningand disinfecting apparatus after use. In an insertion portion of theendoscope, an air feeding conduit and a water feeding conduit areinserted through, and in the cleaning and disinfecting apparatus,cleaning and disinfecting of the air feeding conduit and the waterfeeding conduit are also performed.

In an operation portion of the endoscope, an air/water feeding cylinderis disposed, and the air/water feeding cylinder (hereinafter alsoreferred to simply as “cylinder”) is formed as a concave portion havingan opening and a bottom portion. On an inner wall of the cylinder, twoopenings for the air feeding conduit and two openings for the waterfeeding conduit are formed, and the air feeding conduit and the waterfeeding conduit communicate with each other in the cylinder. A buttonfor air feed and water feed (hereinafter referred to as “air feed/waterfeed button”) is fitted in the cylinder, and a surgeon can perform theair feed and the water feed to the insertion portion of the endoscope byoperating the air feed/water feed button.

When cleaning and disinfecting the endoscope, the air feed/water feedbutton is removed from the cylinder and a cleaning adapter is attachedto the cylinder and thereafter the endoscope is cleaned and disinfected.

Further, if a foreign matter gets into the air feeding conduit or thewater feeding conduit to clog the conduit, cleaning performance anddisinfection performance in the air feeding conduit or the water feedingconduit cannot be secured. Therefore, a cleaning and disinfectingapparatus having a function of detecting clogging of the conduit usingflow rate sensors respectively provided in the air feeding conduit andthe water feeding conduit has been proposed.

In a case where liquids flowing in the air feeding conduit and the waterfeeding conduit meet in the cylinder, even if there is clogging in oneof the air feeding conduit and the water feeding conduit, the flow ratesensors cannot detect the clogging, and therefore a separator forseparating the air feeding conduit and the water feeding conduit fromeach other in the cylinder has been proposed, as disclosed in JapaneseTranslation of PCT Application Publication No. 2012-505032. Theseparator separates passages of the air feeding conduit and the waterfeeding conduit in the cylinder and thereby enables detection of theclogging of the respective conduits of the air feeding conduit and waterfeeding conduit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A cleaning auxiliary tool according to an aspect of the presentinvention is to be inserted into a bottomed cylinder having a bottomedcylindrical shape, the bottomed cylinder having a first opening throughwhich a fluid from a first conduit is introduced, the first conduitbeing inserted through an endoscope, a second opening through which thefluid is led out into the first conduit, a third opening through whichthe fluid from a second conduit is introduced, the second conduitrunning in parallel with the first conduit in the endoscope, and afourth opening through which the fluid is led out into the secondconduit, the cleaning auxiliary tool including: a lid portion thatcloses an opening of the bottomed cylinder; a shaft portion having afirst end portion connected to the lid portion and a second end portionextending into the bottomed cylinder; a partition portion that isprovided on a side of the second end portion of the shaft portion andpositioned between the first opening and the third opening and betweenthe second opening and the fourth opening, and partitions a side of thefirst conduit and a side of the second conduit with a gap forming aspace of a predetermined distance from an inner wall of the bottomedcylinder; and a close contact portion that is arranged on an outercircumferential side of the partition portion, is spaced apart from theinner wall of the bottomed cylinder by the predetermined distance whenan internal pressure on the side of the first conduit corresponds to aninternal pressure on the side of the second conduit, is deformed byreceiving the internal pressure on the side of the first conduit andcomes in close contact with the inner wall of the bottomed cylinder whenthe internal pressure on the side of the first conduit becomes higherthan the internal pressure on the side of the second conduit, and isdeformed by receiving the internal pressure on the side of the secondconduit and comes in close contact with the inner wall of the bottomedcylinder when the internal pressure on the side of the second conduitbecomes higher than the internal pressure on the side of the firstconduit.

A cleaning auxiliary tool according to another aspect of the presentinvention is to be inserted into a bottomed cylinder having a bottomedcylindrical shape with one end opened and other end closed, the bottomedcylinder having a first opening through which a fluid from a firstconduit is introduced, the first conduit being inserted through anendoscope, a second opening through which the fluid is led out into thefirst conduit, a third opening through which the fluid from a secondconduit is introduced, the second conduit running in parallel with thefirst conduit in the endoscope, and a fourth opening through which thefluid is led out into the second conduit, the cleaning auxiliary toolincluding: a lid portion that closes an opening of the bottomedcylinder; a shaft portion having a first end portion connected to thelid portion and a second end portion extending into the bottomedcylinder; and a partition portion that is provided on a side of thesecond end portion of the shaft portion and positioned between the firstopening and the third opening and between the second opening and thefourth opening, partitions a side of the first conduit and a side of thesecond conduit in a state of being in close contact with an inner wallof the bottomed cylinder, moves toward the second end portion of theshaft portion by receiving an internal pressure on the side of the firstconduit when the internal pressure on side of the first conduit becomeshigher than an internal pressure on the side of the second conduit, andmoves toward the first end portion of the shaft portion by receiving theinternal pressure on the side of the second conduit when the internalpressure on the side of the second conduit becomes higher than theinternal pressure on the side of the first conduit.

A cleaning auxiliary tool according to still another aspect of thepresent invention is to be inserted into a bottomed cylinder having abottomed cylindrical shape, the bottomed cylinder having a first openingthrough which a fluid from a first conduit is introduced, the firstconduit being inserted through an endoscope, a second opening throughwhich the fluid is led out into the first conduit, a fourth openingthrough which the fluid introduced from the first conduit is led outinto a second conduit which runs in parallel with the first conduit froman intermediate position of the first conduit in the endoscope, thecleaning auxiliary tool including: a lid portion that closes an openingof the bottomed cylinder; a shaft portion that penetrates the lidportion, has a tubular shape and has a first end portion opened outsideof the bottomed cylinder and a second end portion opened in the bottomedcylinder; a partition portion that is provided at the shaft portion andpositioned between the first opening and the fourth opening and betweenthe second opening and the fourth opening, and partitions a side offirst conduit and a side of the second conduit with a gap forming aspace of a predetermined distance from an inner wall of the bottomedcylinder; and a close contact portion that is arranged on an outercircumferential side of the partition portion, is spaced apart from theinner wall of the bottomed cylinder by the predetermined distance whenan internal pressure at the side of the first conduit corresponds to aninternal pressure on the side of the second conduit, is deformed byreceiving the internal pressure on the side of the first conduit andcomes in close contact with the inner wall of the bottomed cylinder whenthe internal pressure on the side of the first conduit becomes higherthan the internal pressure on the side of the second conduit, and isdeformed by receiving the internal pressure on the side of the secondconduit and comes in close contact with the inner wall of the bottomedcylinder when the internal pressure on the side of the second conduitbecomes higher than the internal pressure on the side of the firstconduit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an endoscope forexplaining conduits in the endoscope according to a first embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of a separator unit 21 according to the firstembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the separator unit 21 according to thefirst embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the separator unit 21, which isattached to a cylinder 14 in an operation portion 3, along an axialdirection of a shaft portion according to the first embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the cylinder 14 according to the firstembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of the cylinder 14 fixed in theoperation portion 3 according to the first embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a distal end portion of a shaft portion23 according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the distal end portion of the shaftportion 23 according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional perspective view of a partition plate 27along an axial direction of the shaft portion 23 according to the firstembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is an exploded view of the partition plate 27 according to thefirst embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view of the distal end portion of the shaftportion 23 along the axial direction of the shaft portion 23 forexplaining a state in which there is no clogging in the conduits when aliquid is simultaneously flowed in an air feeding conduit 11 and a waterfeeding conduit 12, according to the first embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 12 is a cross sectional view of the distal end portion of the shaftportion 23 along the axial direction of the shaft portion 23 forexplaining a state in which there is clogging in the air feeding conduit11 between an opening 14 b of the cylinder 14 and a position P1,according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a cross sectional view of the distal end portion of the shaftportion 23 along the axial direction of the shaft portion 23 forexplaining a state in which there is plugging in the water feedingconduit 12 between an opening 14 d of the cylinder 14 and the positionP1, according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a cross sectional view of elastic members 32 bb and 32 ddalong an axial direction of the cylinder 14 according to modifiedexample 1 of the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a cross sectional view of the distal end portion of the shaftportion 23 having a balloon which is an elastic body according tomodified example 2 of the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 16 is a cross sectional view of the distal end portion of the shaftportion 23 along the axial direction of the shaft portion 23 accordingto a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a partition plate 27A according to thesecond embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the partition plate 27Aalong the axial direction of the shaft portion 23 according to thesecond embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 19 is an exploded view of the partition plate 27 according to thesecond embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 20 is a time chart showing a control state of two liquid feedingpumps which feed the liquid such as a cleaning solution to the airfeeding conduit 11 and the water feeding conduit 12 according to thesecond embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 21 is a cross sectional view of the distal end portion of the shaftportion 23 along the axial direction of the shaft portion 23 when a pump71 is on and a pump 72 is off, according to the second embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 22 is a cross sectional view of the distal end portion of the shaftportion 23 along the axial direction of the shaft portion 23 when thepump 71 is off and the pump 72 is on, according to the second embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 23 is a schematic view for explaining an example of a cleaningauxiliary tool that is applied to a cylinder which is connected to athird conduit 100 in addition to a first conduit 11 and a second conduit12; and

FIG. 24 is a schematic view for explaining configuration of a cleaningauxiliary tool that is applied to an endoscope cylinder in which thesecond conduit 12 runs in parallel from an intermediate position of thefirst conduit 11 and a third opening 14 c, which is present in the firstembodiment, is not formed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be describedreferring to the drawings.

It is noted that, in the drawings for use in the following description,contraction scales are made different for respective elements in orderto make each of the elements have a degree of size recognizable on thedrawings, and the present invention is not limited only toconfigurations having the number of elements, shapes of the elements,ratios of sizes of the elements and relative positional relationsbetween the elements that are shown in the drawings.

First Embodiment

(Configuration of Endoscope)

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an endoscope forexplaining conduits in the endoscope.

Since the endoscope 1 is one that is well known, a configuration of theendoscope 11 is not particularly limited and thus detailed descriptionof the configuration is omitted. The endoscope 1 is configured to mainlyinclude an insertion portion 2 to be inserted into a subject, anoperation portion 3 provided on a proximal end side of the insertionportion 2, a universal cord 4 extending from the operation portion 3 anda connector portion 5 provided at the universal cord 4. The connectorportion 5 is connected to external apparatuses such as a videoprocessor, a water feeding tank or a suction apparatus.

In the insertion portion 2 of the endoscope 1, three conduits, i.e. anair feeding conduit 11, a water feeding conduit 12 and a suction channel13 are inserted through. At a distal end side of the operation portion3, a forceps insertion port 2 b is provided and the forceps insertionport 2 b communicates with the suction channel 13 which is also aforceps channel.

A distal end portion of the air feeding conduit 11, which is a firstconduit, is connected to a nozzle 2 a provided at a distal end portionof the insertion portion 2. A proximal end portion of the air feedingconduit 11 is connected to a connection portion 5 a of the connectorportion 5. A distal end portion of the water feeding conduit 12, whichis a second conduit, is connected to the air feeding conduit 11 at anintermediate position P1 thereof, so that the water feeding conduit 12and the air feeding conduit 11 are confluent to communicate with eachother. The nozzle 2 a is connected to a confluent conduit. A proximalend portion of the water feeding conduit 12 is connected to a connectionportion 5 b of the connector portion 5. A distal end portion of thesuction channel 13 is connected to a suction port 2 c which is providedat the distal end portion of the insertion portion 2 and also serves asa forceps port, and a proximal end portion of the suction channel 13 isconnected to a connection portion 5 c of the connector portion 5.

When using the endoscope 1, the endoscope 1 is connected to a lightsource apparatus which is provided with an air feeding device such as anair tank or an air feeding pump, and the connection portion 5 b isconnected to a liquid feeding device such as a liquid feeding tank. Theconnection portion 5 c is connected to a suction apparatus such as asuction pump.

At the operation portion 3, an air/water feeding cylinder 14 to which anair/water feeding button 6 (indicated by the two-dot chain line) isattached, and a suction cylinder 15 to which a suction button 7(indicated by the two-dot chain line) are provided. Each of theair/water feeding cylinder 14 and the suction cylinder 15 has a bottomedcylindrical shape with one end opened on a surface of an external memberof the operation portion 3, and the other end closed.

The cylinder 14 is provided in the middle of the air feeding conduit 11and in the middle of the water feeding conduit 12. The suction cylinder15 is provided in the middle of the suction channel 13 which is asuction conduit.

Specifically, the cylinder 14 is arranged in the middle of the airfeeding conduit 11 and in the middle of the water feeding conduit 12,and is connected to the air feeding conduit 11 and the water feedingconduit 12 such that an inner space of the cylinder 14 communicates withthe respective insides of the air feeding conduit 11 and the waterfeeding conduit 12. Thus, in the cylinder 14, a first opening 14 a and asecond opening 14 b which communicate with the air feeding conduit 11,and a third opening 14 c and a fourth opening 14 d which communicatewith the water feeding conduit 12 are formed.

The suction cylinder 15 is arranged in the middle of the suction channel13 which is the suction conduit, and is connected to the suction channel13 such that an inner space of the suction cylinder 15 communicates withthe inside of the suction channel 13. Thus, in the suction cylinder 15,two openings 15 a and 15 b which communicate with the suction channel 13are formed.

A surgeon can perform air feeding and water feeding from the nozzle 2 aprovided at the distal end portion of the insertion portion 2 byoperating the air/water feeding button 6 attached to the cylinder 4, andcan perform suction from the suction port 2 c provided at the distal endportion of the insertion portion 2 by operating the suction button 7attached to the suction cylinder 15.

When the endoscope 1 is to be cleaned and disinfected after theendoscope 1 is used, cleaning auxiliary tools are respectively attachedto the cylinders 14 and 15 from which the air/water feeding button 6 andthe suction button 7 are detached, and the endoscope 1 is cleaned anddisinfected by a cleaning and disinfecting apparatus. There is acleaning and disinfecting apparatus of a type in which a flow ratesensor is provided at an outlet side of a disinfection solution andclogging of the conduit is detected on the basis of change in a flowrate. However, in a case where the air feeding conduit 11 and the waterfeeding conduit 12 communicate with each other in the cylinder, if oneof the conduits is clogged, the disinfection solution escapes throughthe other of the conduits so that the flow rate does not change, andtherefore it is hard to detect conduit clogging. Therefore, a separatorunit having a mechanism for partitioning a passage of the air feedingconduit 11 and a passage of the water feeding conduit 12 is used as acleaning auxiliary tool.

(Configuration of Separator Unit)

FIG. 2 is a front view of a separator unit 21 according to the presentembodiment. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the separator unit 21according to the present embodiment. FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view ofthe separator unit 21, which is attached to the cylinder 14 in theoperation portion 3, along an axial direction of a shaft portion.

The separator unit 21 is a cleaning auxiliary tool configured to includea fixing member 22 and a shaft portion 23.

The fixing member 22 has a H-shaped cross section as shown in FIG. 2.The fixing member 22 has elasticity and is made of resin, for example,although a material thereof is not limited. More specifically,polyacetal which is excellent in chemical resistance is cited. Thefixing member 22 has arm portions 22 b and 22 c on both sides of acentral portion 22 a. The arm portions 22 b and 22 c have extendingportions 22 b 1 and 22 c 1, respectively, at distal end portionsthereof, the extending portions 22 b 1 and 22 c 1 extending to be closeto each other. Since the fixing member 22 has elasticity, when proximalend portions of the arm portions 22 b and 22 c are brought close to eachother, the extending portions 22 b 1 and 22 c 1 at the distal endportions of the arm portions 22 b and 22 c are spaced apart from eachother, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 4.

As shown in FIG. 4, the fixing member 22 has a hole 22 a 1 at thecentral portion 22 a, which is formed to be parallel to axial directionsof the arm portions 22 b and 22 c. The shaft portion 23 is insertedthrough the hole 22 a 1. At a proximal end portion of the shaft portion23, a circumferential groove 23 a is formed. An E-ring 24 for retainingthe shaft portion 23 is fixed by being fitted into the groove 23 a on aproximal end side of the central portion 22 a.

At a distal end side of the central portion 22 a, a concave portion 22 a2 is formed. The shaft portion 23 has an outward flange 23 b at acentral portion. A coil spring 25 is provided in such a manner as towind on an outer circumferential portion of the shaft portion 23. Thecoil spring 25 is provided in a compressed state between the outwardflange 23 b and the concave portion 22 a 2 such that one end of the coilspring 25 enters the concave portion 22 a 2 and the other end of thecoil spring 25 presses a proximal-end-side surface of the outward flange23 b.

An annular seal member 26 is provided as being adhered to adistal-end-side surface of the outward flange 23 b. Although a materialof the shaft portion 23 is not particularly limited, the shaft portion23 is a cylindrical member made of metal such as stainless steel whichis excellent in chemical resistance, and is inserted through a hole at acenter of the annular seal member 26.

Here, the configuration of the cylinder 14 to which the separator unit21 is attached will be described. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of thecylinder 14, and FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view showing a state of thecylinder 14 fixed in the operation portion 3.

The cylinder 14 is fixed to an external member 3 a of the operationportion 3 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6. The cylinder 14 has a shape of abottomed cylinder with one end opened and the other end closed.

The cylinder 14 has a mouthpiece 14A to which the separator unit 21 isattached and fixed, at a proximal end portion of the cylinder 14. On adistal end side of the mouthpiece 14A, an outward flange 14B is formed,and the cylinder 14 is fixed to the operation portion 3 such thatoutward flange 14B is embedded in the external member 3 a of theoperation portion 3.

As shown in FIG. 5, the first opening 14 a and the second opening 14 bare formed on a side wall of the cylinder 14 at an opening side thereof.The third opening 14 c and the fourth opening 14 d are formed on theside wall of the cylinder 14 at an bottom side thereof. As shown in FIG.6, the first opening 14 a, the second opening 14 b, the third opening 14c and the fourth opening 14 d are provided with connection portions 14 a1, 14 b 1, 14 c 1 and 14 d 1, respectively, the air feeding conduit 11is connected to the connection portions 14 a 1 and 14 b 1, and the waterfeeding conduit 12 is connected to the connection portions 14 c 1 and 14d 1.

The first opening 14 a is an air-feeding-conduit-side fluid inlet portas an opening on an upstream side which is connected to the air feedingdevice and through which a gas is introduced. The second opening 14 b isan air-feeding-conduit-side fluid outlet port as an opening on adownstream side from which the gas is led out. The third opening 14 c isa water-feeding-conduit-side fluid inlet port as an opening on theupstream side which is connected to a water feeding device and throughwhich a liquid is introduced. The fourth opening 14 d is awater-feeding-conduit-side fluid outlet port as an opening on thedownstream side from which the liquid is led out. Thus, the cylinder 14is the bottomed cylinder having the first opening 14 a from which thefluid from the air feeding conduit 11 inserted through the endoscope 1is introduced, the second opening 14 b through which the fluid is ledout into the air feeding conduit 11, the third opening 14 c throughwhich the fluid from the water feeding conduit 12 is introduced, thewater feeding conduit 12 running in parallel with the air feedingconduit 11 in the endoscope, and the fourth opening 14 d through whichthe fluid is led out into the water feeding conduit 12.

As mentioned above, in the state where the proximal end portions of thearm portions 22 b and 22 c are brought close to each other, so that theextending portions 22 b 1 and 22 c 1 are separated from each other (asshown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 4), when the proximal endportions of the arm portions 22 b and 22 c, which are brought close toeach other, are made be separate from each other while pressing theoutward flange 23 b of the shaft portion 23 toward the mouthpiece 14A,the extending portions 22 b 1 and 22 c 1 enter the lower side of themouthpiece 14A. As a result, the separator unit 21 is attached to themouthpiece 14A in a state where the coil spring 25 presses the outwardflange 23 b toward the distal end side and the seal member 26 seals aspace between the outward flange 23 b and the mouthpiece 14A.

Thus, the outward flange 23 b constitutes a lid portion that closes theopening of the cylinder 14 which is the bottomed cylinder. Further, theshaft portion 23 has one end connected to the outward flange 23 b andthe other end extending into the cylinder 14.

Next, configuration of a distal end portion of the shaft portion 23 ofthe separator unit 21 will be described. FIG. 7 is a perspective view ofthe distal end portion of the shaft portion 23, and FIG. 8 is anexploded view of the distal end portion of the shaft portion 23.

At the distal end portion of the shaft portion 23, two outward flanges23 c and 23 d are provided. The outward flange 23 d is formed as aseparate member with respect to the shaft portion 23. A partition plate27 in an annular shape is a movable member which is provided between theoutward flanges 23 c and 23 d in a manner such that the shaft portion 23is inserted through a hole at a central portion of the partition plate27 in a loosely fitted state.

The outward flange 23 c is formed to be somewhat proximal with respectto a distal end of the shaft portion 23, and the shaft portion 23 has anextending part 23 e which extends to be distal with respect to theoutward flange 23 c. At a distal end portion of the extending part 23 e,a male screw portion 23 e 1 is formed. A female screw portion 23 d 1,which is formed on an inner circumferential surface of an annular memberconstituting the outward flange 23 d, is screw-engaged with the malescrew portion 23 e 1 of the extending part 23 e, and thereby the outwardflange 23 d is formed at the distal end portion of the shaft portion 23.Besides, it may be configured that the outward flange 23 c is alsoformed as a separate member with respect to the shaft portion 23 and isfixed to the shaft portion 23.

A partition portion is constituted by the outward flange 23 d as a platemember fixed to the shaft member 23, the outward flange 23 c as a platemember which is provided at the shaft portion 23 and arranged to becloser to the air feeding conduit 11 than the outward flange 23 d, andthe partition plate 27 which has an annular shape with an inner diameterlarger than an outer diameter of the shaft portion 23, is arrangedbetween the outward flanges 23 c and 23 d in the state where the shaftportion 23 is inserted through the hole at the central portion of theannular shape, and moves along the shaft portion 23 toward one of theair feeding conduit 11 and the water feeding conduit 12, whichever has alower inner pressure.

As shown in FIG. 4, an inner diameter of a distal end side part of thecylinder 14 is smaller than an inner diameter a proximal end side partof the cylinder 14. The separator unit 21 is attached to the cylinder 14by being inserted from the opening side of the cylinder 14. The outwardflanges 23 c and 23 d are formed and provided at the shaft portion 23such that the outward flanges 23 c and 23 d are positioned between thefirst opening 14 a and the third opening 14 c and between second opening14 b and the fourth opening 14 d in the cylinder 14 when the separatorunit 21 is attached to the cylinder 14.

Outer diameters of the annular outward flanges 23 c, 23 d and thepartition plate 27 are smaller than the inner diameter of the distal endside part of the cylinder 14. That is, a narrow gap g exists betweenouter circumferential surfaces of the outward flanges 23 c, 23 d and thepartition plate 27, and an inner wall of the distal end side part of thecylinder 14.

A plurality of holes 23 c 1 are formed in the outward flange 23 c. Inthe same manner, a plurality of holes 23 d 2 are formed also in theoutward flange 23 d.

The annular partition plate 27 is provided between the outward flanges23 c and 23 d of the shaft portion 23 such that extending part 23 e isinserted through the hole at the center of the partition plate 27 in theloosely fitted state.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the partition plate 27along the axial direction of the shaft portion 23. FIG. 10 is anexploded view of the partition plate 27.

The partition plate 27 is constituted by an annular member 31 and fourannular elastic members 32 a, 32 b, 32 c and 32 d (which are,hereinafter, referred to as elastic members 32 or elastic member 32 whenreferring to these four members as a whole or arbitrary one of theelastic members, respectively). The annular member 31 is made of resinor of metal such as stainless steel, and the elastic members 32 are madeof rubber or silicone. As described later, the elastic members 32 b and32 d are close contact portions which come in close contact with theinner wall of the cylinder 14, and constitute deformation portions madeof a deformable material.

Notch portions 31 a and 31 b are formed on a distal-end-side surface ofthe annular member 31 at an inner peripheral portion and an outerperipheral portion, respectively. Notch portions 31 c and 31 d areformed on a proximal-end-side surface of the annular member 31 at aninner peripheral portion and an outer peripheral portion, respectively.

The elastic members 32 a, 32 b, 32 c and 32 d are adhered and fixed tothe notch portions 31 a, 31 b, 31 c and 31 d by an adhesive. Outerdiameters of the elastic members 32 b and 32 d are the same as adiameter of the annular member 31.

Further, the elastic member 32 b has a thickness d1 such that adistal-end-side surface of the elastic member 32 b, which is fixed tothe notch portion 31 b, protrudes from a distal-end-side surface 31 e ofthe annular member 31 toward the distal end side. Similarly, the elasticmember 32 d has a thickness d2 such that a proximal-end-side surface ofthe elastic member 32 d, which is fixed to the notch portion 31 d,protrudes from a proximal-end-side surface 31 f of the annular member 31toward the proximal end side.

As mentioned above, the gap g, that has a cross sectional area S3smaller than a cross sectional area S1 of the air feeding conduit 11 anda cross sectional area S2 of the water feeding conduit 12, existsbetween the outer circumferential surfaces of the outward flanges 23 c,23 d and the partition plate 27, and the inner wall of the distal endside part of the cylinder 14 (see FIG. 11), and a space on a proximalend side of the outward flange 23 c and a space on a distal end side ofthe outward flange 23 d communicate with each other.

However, as described later, when the partition plate 27 moves in theaxial direction of the shaft portion 23 by a pressure difference betweenthe proximal end side and the distal end side of the partition plate 27and the elastic member 32 is deformed by being pressed by the outwardflange 23 d or 23 c, the diameter of the elastic member 32 b or 32 d isincreased by a pressing force of the flange. When the diameter of theelastic member 32 b or 32 d is increased, the space on the proximal endside of the outward flange 23 c and the space on the distal end side ofthe outward flange 23 d become a state of not communicating with eachother and being partitioned. That is, the elastic member 32 b or 32 d isdeformed to increase the diameter thereof, and comes in close contactwith the inner wall of the distal end side part of the cylinder 14, sothat the gap is occluded. Thus, the elastic member 32 b and 32 d eachhave the thickness, the outer diameter and softness such that theelastic member 32 b or 32 d comes in close contact with the inner wallof the distal end side part of the cylinder 14 when the elastic member32 b or 32 d is pressed by the outward flange 23 d or 23 c.

As described above, the elastic member 32 b is a deformation portionthat is provided along the outer circumference of the partition plate 27on the water feeding conduit 12 side, is crushed by being pressed by theoutward flange 23 d and the partition plate 27 to increase the outerdiameter thereof, and comes in close contact with the inner wall of thecylinder 14. The elastic member 32 d is a deformation portion that isprovided along the outer circumference of the partition plate 27 on theair feeding conduit 11 side, is crushed by being pressed by the outwardflange 23 c and the partition plate 27 to increase the outer diameterthereof, and comes in close contact with the inner wall of the cylinder14.

When the endoscope 1 is cleaned and disinfected, the liquid such as thecleaning solution flows in the air feeding conduit 11 and in the waterfeeding conduit 12. As shown in FIG. 4, a flow rate sensor 41 isconnected to the air feeding conduit 11 at an upstream side thereof formeasuring a flow rate of the liquid flowing through the air feedingconduit 11. A flow rate sensor 42 is connected to the water feedingconduit 12 at an upstream side thereof for measuring a flow rate of theliquid flowing in the water feeding conduit 12.

The upstream side herein referred to includes an endoscope cleaning anddisinfecting apparatus which is connected to the endoscope, and the flowrate sensor 41 and the flow rate sensor 42 may be arranged in theendoscope cleaning and disinfecting apparatus, and if a cleaning tube isintervened between the endoscope and the endoscope cleaning anddisinfecting apparatus, the sensors 41 and 42 may be arranged at thecleaning tube.

(Operation)

(In a Case where there is No Clogging in Both of the Air Feeding Conduit11 and the Water Feeding Conduit)

When cleaning and disinfecting the endoscope 1, the liquid such as thecleaning solution is flowed simultaneously in the air feeding conduit 11and the water feeding conduit 12. Since the cross sectional area S3 ofthe gap g between the inner wall of the cylinder 14 and the outercircumferential surface of the partition plate 27 in a cross sectionorthogonal to an axis of the shaft portion 23 is smaller than the crosssectional areas 51 and S2 of the air feeding conduit 11 and the waterfeeding conduit 12, respectively, the liquid that has entered from thefirst opening 14 a flows into the second opening 14 b, and the liquidthat has entered from the third opening 14 c flows into the fourthopening 14 d. At this time, there is no pressure difference between theproximal end side and the distal end side of the partition plate 27, andthe partition plate 27 does not move in the axial direction of the shaftportion 23.

FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view of the distal end portion of the shaftportion 23 along the axial direction of the shaft portion 23 forexplaining a state in which there is no clogging in the conduits whenthe liquid is flowed simultaneously in the air feeding conduit 11 andthe water feeding conduit 12. The partition plate 27 is not pressedagainst either of the outward flanges 23 c and 23 d, and the liquidflowing through the air feeding conduit 11 flows from the first opening14 a to the second opening 14 b along R1 shown by the chain line. In thesame manner, the liquid flowing through the water feeding conduit 12flows from the third opening 14 a to the fourth opening 14 d along R2shown by the chain line. Thus, the liquid comes in contact with entiretyof the inner wall of the cylinder 14 and the inside of the cylinder 14is completely cleaned and disinfected.

As described above, the outward flanges 23 c, 23 d and the partitionplate 27 constitute a partition portion that is provided at the distalend side of the shaft portion 23, positioned between the first opening14 a and the third opening 14 c and between the second opening 14 b andthe fourth opening 14 d, and partitions the air feeding conduit 11 sideand the water feeding conduit 12 side with the gap g forming a space ofa predetermined distance from the inner wall of the cylinder 14.

(In a Case where there is Clogging in the Air Feeding Conduit 11)

If there is clogging 90 in the air feeding conduit 11 between the secondopening 14 b of the cylinder 14 and the position P1, the liquid flowingthrough the air feeding conduit 11 does not flow into the second opening14 b. As a result, the pressure of the liquid in the cylinder 14 on theproximal end side of the partition plate 27 increases and the partitionplate 27 is pressed toward the outward flange 23 d by the liquidpressure. When the partition plate 27 is pressed against the outwardflange 23 d, the elastic member 32 b is compressed in the axialdirection of the shaft portion 23 by being pressed, and as a result theelastic member 32 b is deformed to increase the diameter thereof, andcloses the gap g between the outer circumferential surface of theelastic member 32 b and the inner wall of the cylinder 14.

FIG. 12 is a cross sectional view of the distal end portion of the shaftportion 23 along the axial direction of the shaft portion 23 forexplaining the state in which there is clogging in the air feedingconduit 11 between the second opening 14 b of the cylinder 14 and theposition P1. As shown by the chain line in FIG. 12, the partition plate27 is pressed toward the outward flange 23 d by the liquid, and the gapbetween the outer circumferential surface of the partition plate 27 andthe inner wall of the distal end part of the cylinder 14 is closed bythe elastic member 32 b which is deformed to increase the diameterthereof. As a result, the flow of the liquid flowing through the airfeeding conduit 11 is stopped, and therefore the flow rate measured bythe flow rate sensor 41 becomes 0 (zero).

Thus, it is possible to detect that there is the clogging 90 in the airfeeding conduit 11 between the second opening 14 b of the cylinder 14and the position P1.

It is noted that if there is clogging in the air feeding conduit 11between the first opening 14 a of the cylinder 14 and the flow ratesensor 41, the flow rate measured by the flow rate sensor 41 alsobecomes 0 (zero), and therefore it is possible to detect that there isclogging in the air feeding conduit 11.

(In a Case where there is Clogging in the Water Feeding Conduit 12)

If there is clogging 90 in the water feeding conduit 12 between thefourth opening 14 d of the cylinder 14 and the position P1, the liquidflowing through the water feeding conduit 12 does not flow into thefourth opening 14 d. As a result, the pressure of the liquid in thecylinder 14 on the distal end side of the partition plate 27 increasesand the partition plate 27 is pressed toward the outward flange 23 c.When the partition plate 27 is pressed against the outward flange 23 c,the elastic member 32 d is compressed in the axial direction of theshaft portion 23 by being pressed, and as a result the elastic member 32d is deformed to increase the diameter thereof, and closes the gap gbetween the outer circumferential surface of the elastic member 32 d andthe inner wall of the cylinder 14.

FIG. 13 is a cross sectional view of the distal end portion of the shaftportion 23 along the axial direction of the shaft portion 23 forexplaining the state in which there is clogging in the water feedingconduit 12 between the fourth opening 14 d of the cylinder 14 and theposition P1. As shown by the chain line in FIG. 13, the partition plate27 is pressed toward the outward flange 23 c by the liquid, and the gapbetween the outer circumferential surface of the partition plate 27 andthe inner wall of the distal end part of the cylinder 14 is closed bythe elastic member 32 d which is deformed to increase the diameterthereof. As a result, the flow of the liquid flowing through the waterfeeding conduit 12 is stopped, and therefore the flow rate measured bythe flow rate sensor 41 becomes 0 (zero). Thus, it is possible to detectthat there is the clogging 90 in the water feeding conduit 12 betweenthe fourth opening 14 d of the cylinder 14 and the position P1.

It is noted that if there is clogging in the water feeding conduit 12between the third opening 14 c of the cylinder 14 and the flow ratesensor 42, the flow rate measured by the flow rate sensor 42 alsobecomes 0 (zero), and therefore it is possible to detect that there isclogging in the water feeding conduit 12.

(In a Case where there is Clogging in the Conduit Downstream of thePosition P1 where the Air Feeding Conduit 11 and the Water FeedingConduit 12 Meet)

If there is clogging in the conduit downstream of the position P1 shownin FIG. 4, that is, in the confluent conduit, the liquid flowing throughthe air feeding conduit 11 and the water feeding conduit 12 does notflow into the second opening 14 b and the fourth opening 14 d.Therefore, in this case, both of the flow rates detected by the flowrate sensors 41 and 42 become 0 (zero), and it is possible to detectthat there is clogging on a downstream side of the position P1 where theair feeding conduit 11 and the water feeding conduit 12 meet.

As described above, the elastic members 32 b and 32 d each constitute aclose contact portion that is arranged at the outer circumferential sideof the partition plate 27, is spaced apart from the inner wall of thecylinder 14 by the predetermined distance when the internal pressures onthe air feeding conduit 11 side and the water feeding conduit 12 side inthe cylinder 14 correspond to each other, is deformed by receiving theinternal pressure on the air feeding conduit 11 side and comes in closecontact with the inner wall of the cylinder 14 when the internalpressure on the air feeding conduit 11 side becomes higher than theinternal pressure on the water feeding conduit 12 side, and is deformedby receiving the internal pressure on the water feeding conduit 12 sideand comes in close contact with the inner wall of the cylinder 14 whenthe internal pressure on the water feeding conduit 12 side becomeshigher than the internal pressure on the air feeding conduit 11 side.

Hence, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to providethe cleaning auxiliary tool that is capable of detecting clogging ineach of the air feeding conduit and the water feeding conduit whenperforming the cleaning and disinfecting, and capable of cleaning anddisinfecting the inner wall of the cylinder.

Modified Example 1

In the foregoing embodiment, cross sectional shapes of the elasticmembers 32 b and 32 d along the axial direction of the cylinder 14 arerectangular, but the cross sectional shapes of the elastic members 32 band 32 d along the axial direction of the cylinder 14 need not berectangular but each of the elastic members 32 b and 32 d may have ashape having an inclined surface with thickness decreasing toward theinside as shown in a modified example 1. FIG. 14 is a cross sectionalview of elastic members 32 bb and 32 dd along the axial direction of thecylinder 14 according to the modified example 1. It is noted that theelastic members 32 a and 32 c are omitted and the annular member 31 isshown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 14. In FIG. 14, the dotted lineindicates the elastic members 32 bb and 32 dd when deformed.

As shown in FIG. 14, the elastic member 32 bb, which is adhered to thenotch portion 31 b formed at the outer peripheral portion of thedistal-end-side surface of the annular member 31, has an inclinedsurface 32 bb 1 with thickness of the annular elastic member 32 bbdecreasing toward a center thereof. Similarly, the elastic member 32 dd,which is adhered to the notch portion 31 d formed at the outerperipheral portion of the proximal-end-side surface of the annularmember 31, has an inclined surface 32 dd 1 with thickness of the annularelastic member 32 dd decreasing toward a center thereof.

Since the inclined surface 32 bb 1 as described above is provided on theelastic member 32 bb, a diameter of the elastic member 32 bb is easilyincreased radially when the elastic member 32 bb is deformed by beingpressed by the outward flange 23 d. Also, since the inclined surface 32dd 1 is provided on the elastic member 32 dd, a diameter of the elasticmember 32 dd is easily increased radially when the elastic member 32 ddis deformed by being pressed by the outward flange 23 c.

Besides, only one of the elastic members 32 bb and 32 dd in the annularshape may have the inclined surface with thickness of the elastic memberdecreasing toward a center of the annular shape.

Modified Example 2

In the above-described embodiment, the two elastic members 32 b and 32 dare provided between the two outward flanges 23 c and 23 d, and theelastic members 32 b and 32 d are deformed by being pressed by theoutward flanges 23 c and 23 d, respectively, so that the diametersthereof are increased to close the gap g between the elastic members 32b, 32 d and the inner wall of the cylinder 14. However, it may beconfigured such that, using one balloon which is an elastic body and hastwo valves, the gap g between the balloon and the inner wall of thecylinder 14 is closed.

FIG. 15 is a cross sectional view of the distal end portion of the shaftportion 23 having the balloon which is the elastic body according to themodified example 2.

As shown in FIG. 15, a balloon 51 includes an annular member 53 which isfixed to a distal end part 23 g provided at a distal end side of theshaft portion 23, and an annular member 55 which is provided to bedistal with respect to the annular member 53 and fixed to the distal endpart 23 g of the shaft portion 23. A valve 52 is provided at the annularmember 53 and a valve 54 is provided at the annular member 55.

The valves 52 and 54 are disposed inside of the balloon 51 which is aballoon member, and are attached to the annular members 53 and 55 to bepivotally supported by shaft 52 a and 54 a, respectively, such that thevalves 52 and 54 open toward the inside when an external pressurebecomes higher than an internal pressure of the balloon 51. In FIG. 15,the two-dot chain line shows a state in which the valve 52 of theannular member 53 is opened.

When the internal pressure and the external pressure of the balloon 51are equal to each other, an outer diameter of the balloon 51 in adirection orthogonal to an axis of the cylinder 14 is smaller than theinner diameter of the distal end side part of the cylinder 14, and thegap g exists between an outer circumferential surface of the balloon 51and the inner wall of the cylinder 14.

However, if there is clogging in the air feeding conduit 11, a liquidpressure on a proximal end side (i.e. on the air feeding conduit 11side) of the balloon 51 increases. As a result, the valve 52 opens andthe balloon 51 inflates to increase an outer diameter of the balloon 51so that the gap g between the outer circumferential surface of theballoon 51 and the inner wall of the cylinder 14 is closed. In FIG. 15,it is shown by the two-dot chain line that the diameter of the balloon51 increases and the gap between the outer circumferential surface ofthe balloon 51 and the inner wall of the cylinder 14 is closed.

In the same manner, if there is clogging in the water feeding conduit12, a liquid pressure on a distal end side (i.e. on the water feedingconduit 12 side) of the balloon 51 increases. As a result, the valve 54opens and the balloon 51 inflates to increase the outer diameter of theballoon 51 so that the gap g between the outer circumferential surfaceof the balloon 51 and the inner wall of the cylinder 14 is closed.

As described above, the partition portion is constituted by the balloon51 as the close contact portion, the valve 52 provided at the airfeeding conduit 11 side of the balloon 51, and the valve 54 provided atthe water feeding conduit 12 of the balloon 51. The outercircumferential portion of the balloon 51 which is a balloon portion isspaced apart from the inner wall of the cylinder 14 by the predetermineddistance when the internal pressure on the air feeding conduit 11 sideand the internal pressure on the water feeding conduit 12 sidecorrespond to each other. When the internal pressure on the air feedingconduit 11 side becomes higher than the internal pressure on the waterfeeding conduit 12 side, the valve 52 opens and the outercircumferential portion of the balloon 51 deforms by receiving theinternal pressure on the air feeding conduit 11 side and comes in closecontact with the inner wall of the cylinder 14, and when the internalpressure on the water feeding conduit 12 side becomes higher than theinternal pressure on the air feeding conduit 11 side, the valve 54 opensand the outer circumferential portion of the balloon 51 deforms byreceiving the internal pressure on the water feeding conduit 12 side andcomes in close contact with the inner wall of the cylinder 14.

According to these modified examples, cleaning auxiliary tools capableof detecting clogging in each of the air feeding conduit and the waterfeeding conduit when performing the cleaning and disinfection, andsecurely cleaning and disinfecting the cylinder inner wall can beprovided.

Modified Example 3

In the foregoing embodiments, the cleaning auxiliary tools that areapplied to the cylinder 14 of the endoscope in which the first conduit11 and the second conduit 12 communicate with each other are shown asexamples, but the number of conduits of the endoscope is not limited totwo and a cleaning auxiliary tool may be applied to a cylinder in whichthree or more conduits run in parallel and communicate with each other.

FIG. 23 is a schematic view for explaining an example of a cleaningauxiliary tool that is applied to the cylinder 14 which is connected toa third conduit 100 as well as the first conduit 11 and the secondconduit 12.

In the cylinder 14, a fifth opening 140 a through which the liquid isintroduced from the third conduit 100, and a sixth opening 140 b throughwhich the liquid is led out to the third conduit 100 are provided.Therefore, in the cleaning auxiliary tool according to theabove-described embodiment, the shaft portion 23 further extends towarda bottom of the bottomed cylinder 14, a pair of outward flanges 123 dare provided between the third opening 14 c and the fifth opening 140 aand between the fourth opening 14 d and the sixth opening 140 b, and apartition plate 270 arranged movable along the axial direction of theshaft portion 23 is provided between the pair of outward flanges 123 d.The partition plate 270 is constituted by an annular member 131 and fourelastic members 132 a, 132 b, 132 c and 132 d in an annular shape. Thefour elastic members 132 a, 132 b, 132 c and 132 d are fixed to thepartition plate 270 in the same manner as the four elastic members 32 a,32 b, 32 c and 32 d of the partition plate 27.

In FIG. 23, clogging 90 is caused in the second conduit 12, andtherefore the partition plate 27 is moved to the first conduit 11 sideand the partition plate 270 is moved to the third conduit 100 side, sothat the liquid introduced into the cylinder 14 from the third openingof the second conduit 12 does not flow into the first conduit 11 and thethird conduit 100. Thereby, the flow rate measured by the flow ratesensor 42 becomes 0 (zero) so that clogging can be detected.

Second Embodiment

In the first embodiment, if there is no clogging in the air feedingconduit 11 and the water feeding conduit 12, the partition plate 27 doesnot close the gap g between the partition plate 27 and the inner wall ofthe cylinder 14 so that the inner wall of the cylinder 14 is cleaned anddisinfected by the cleaning solution or the like, and if there isclogging in the air feeding conduit 11 or the water feeding conduit 12,the partition plate 27 closes the gap g between the partition plate 27and the inner wall of the cylinder 14 and the clogging is detected bythe flow rate sensor.

By contrast, in the second embodiment, the partition plate is always incontact with the inner wall of the cylinder 14 without increasing thediameter thereof. Further, control is performed such that the liquidflows in the air feeding conduit 11 and the water feeding conduit 12alternately, to change a position of an inner wall part with which thepartition plate is in contact. As a result, the inner wall of thecylinder 14 is cleaned and disinfected such that there is not any partof the inner wall of the cylinder 14 that does not come in contact withthe liquid, and it is configured such that, if there is clogging in theair feeding conduit 11 or the water feeding conduit 12, the clogging ofthe conduit can be detected by the flow rate sensor.

Since configurations of the endoscope and the cleaning auxiliary tool inthe present embodiment are almost the same as the configuration of theendoscope and the cleaning auxiliary tool in the first embodiment, thesame reference signs are assigned to the same elements and thedescription thereof is omitted, and a different configuration will bedescribed.

FIG. 16 is a cross sectional view of the distal end portion of the shaftportion 23 along the axial direction of the shaft portion 23 accordingto the present embodiment. FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a partitionplate 27A. FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional perspective view of thepartition plate 27A along the axial direction of the shaft portion 23.FIG. 19 is an exploded view of the partition plate 27.

As shown in FIG. 19, the partition plate 27A of the separator unit 21 isconfigured to include an annular member 61, two annular seal members 62a and 62 b (hereinafter, referred to as seal members 62 when referringto the two seal members as a whole or as seal member 62 when referringto arbitrary one of the seal members). The annular member 61 is made ofresin and the seal member 62 is made of rubber.

Notch portions 61 a and 61 b are formed at an inner peripheral portionand an outer peripheral portion, respectively, on a distal-end-sidesurface of the annular member 61. Notch portions 61 c and 61 d areformed at an inner peripheral portion and an outer peripheral portion,respectively, on a proximal-end-side surface of the annular member 61.

An annular seal member 62 a is adhered and fixed to the inner notchportions 61 a and 61 c of the annular member 61 by adhesive in such amanner as to cover the notch portions 61 a and 61 d from the inside. Anannular seal member 62 b is adhered and fixed to the outer notchportions 61 b and 61 d of the annular member 61 by adhesive in such amanner as to cover the notch portions 61 b and 61 d from the outside. Anouter diameter of the seal member 62 b is slightly larger than the innerdiameter of the cylinder 14 and an outer circumferential surface of theseal member 62 b is in contact with the inner diameter of the cylinder14. That is, the partition plate 27A includes the annular member 61which is a plate member and the seal member 62 b provided at an outercircumferential portion of the annular member 61.

An inner diameter of the seal member 62 a is smaller than an outerdiameter of the extending portion 23 e, and the annular partition plate27A is a movable member that is provided between the outward flanges 23c and 23 d movably along the axial direction of the shaft portion 23 bywith the shaft portion 23 being inserted into a hole at a centralportion of the partition plate 27A.

Liquid feeding control of the air feeding conduit 11 and the waterfeeding conduit 12 will be described. FIG. 20 is a time chart showing acontrol state of two liquid feeding pumps which feed the liquid such asthe cleaning solution to the air feeding conduit 11 and the waterfeeding conduit 12.

As shown in FIG. 20, a pump 71 for feeding the liquid to the air feedingconduit 11 is driven in such a manner as to switch between on and offalternately. On the other hand, a pump 72 for feeding the liquid to thewater feeding conduit 12 is also driven in such a manner as to switchbetween on and off alternately so that timing of on and off of the pump72 is inverse to timing of on and off of the pump 71.

FIG. 21 is a cross sectional view of the distal end portion of the shaftportion 23 when the pump 71 is on and the pump 72 is off. FIG. 22 is across sectional view of the distal end portion of the shaft portion 23when the pump 71 is off and the pump 72 is on.

As shown in FIG. 21, when the pump 71 is on and the pump 72 is off, aliquid pressure on a proximal end side of the partition plate 27A risesand a liquid pressure on a distal end side of the partition plate 27Adoes not rise, so that the partition plate 27A moves toward the outwardflange 23 d by the liquid flowing through the plurality of holes 23 c 1of the outward flange 23 c.

Further, as shown in FIG. 22, when the pump 71 is off and the pump 72 ison, the liquid pressure on the distal end side of the partition plate27A rises and the liquid pressure on the proximal end side of thepartition plate 27A does not rise, so that the partition plate 27A movestoward the outward flange 23 c by the liquid flowing through theplurality of holes 23 d 2 of the outward flange 23 d.

As shown in FIG. 20, the pumps 71 and 72 are not turned on at the sametime, but are repeatedly turned on and off alternately, and thereforethe partition plate 27A repeats advancing and retreating along the axialdirection of the extending portion 23 e of the shaft portion 23 inaccordance with the on and off driving control of the pumps 71 and 72.

As a result, a position of contact between the seal member 62 b on theouter circumferential side of the partition plate 27A and the inner wallof the cylinder 14 moves, and therefor there is not any part, on theinner wall of the cylinder 14, which does not come in contact with theliquid such as the cleaning solution. Thus, the liquid comes in contactwith the entirety of the inner wall of the cylinder 14 and the inside ofthe cylinder 14 is completely cleaned and disinfected.

Thus, the partition plate 27A constitutes a partition portion that isprovided at the distal end side of the shaft portion 23, is positionedbetween the first opening 14 a and the third opening 14 c and betweenthe second opening 14 b and the fourth opening 14 d, partitions the airconduit 11 side and the water conduit 12 side in a state of being inclose contact with the inner wall of the cylinder 14, moves toward thedistal end side of the shaft portion 23 (i.e. the water feeding conduit12 side) by receiving the internal pressure on the air feeding conduit11 side when the internal pressure on the air feeding conduit 11 sidebecomes higher than the internal pressure on the water feeding conduit12 side, and moves toward the proximal end side of the shaft portion 23(i.e. the air feeding conduit 11 side) by receiving the internalpressure on the water feeding conduit 12 side when the internal pressureon the water feeding conduit 12 side becomes higher than the internalpressure on the air feeding conduit 11 side.

Further, if there is clogging in the air feeding conduit 11, the flowrate detected by the flow rate sensor 41 when the pump 71 is on becomes0 (zero), and therefore the cleaning and disinfecting apparatus candetect the clogging of the air feeding conduit 11. In the same manner,if there is clogging in the water feeding conduit 12, the flow ratedetected by the flow rate sensor 42 when the pump 72 is on becomes 0(zero), and therefore the cleaning and disinfecting apparatus can detectthe clogging of the water feeding conduit 12.

Hence, also in the present embodiment, it is possible to provide thecleaning auxiliary tool that is capable of detecting clogging in each ofthe air feeding conduit and the water feeding conduit when performingthe cleaning and disinfecting, and capable of securely cleaning anddisinfecting the inner wall of the cylinder.

Third Embodiment

In the first embodiment and the second embodiment, the cleaningauxiliary tools each applied to the endoscope cylinder in which thefirst conduit 11 and the second conduit 12 run in parallel, and the fouropenings of the first opening 14 a, the second opening 14 b, the thirdopening 14 c and the fourth opening 14 d are formed are described.

By contrast, the third embodiment concerns a cleaning auxiliary toolthat is applied to an endoscope cylinder 14 in which the second conduit12 runs in parallel from an intermediate position of the first conduit11, and the third opening 14 c, which is present in the firstembodiment, is not formed.

FIG. 24 is a schematic view for explaining the configuration of thecleaning auxiliary tool that is applied to the endoscope cylinder inwhich the second conduit 12 runs in parallel from the intermediateposition of the first conduit 11 and the third opening 14 c, which ispresent in the first embodiment, is not formed. As shown in FIG. 24, thecylinder 14 to which the cleaning auxiliary tool of the presentembodiment is applied has the first opening 14 a and the second opening14 b which communicate with the first conduit 11, and the fourth opening14 d which communicates with the second conduit 12. In a state where thebutton such as the air/water feeding button 6 or the suction button 7 isattached to the cylinder 14 in the present embodiment, the liquidintroduced into the cylinder from the first conduit 11 is introducedinto the second opening 14 b or the fourth opening 14 d by switchingusing the button.

The pair of the outward flange 23 c and the outward flange 23 d, thepartition plate 27 provided at the shaft portion 23A, and the elasticmembers 32 b and 32 d are the same as those in the first embodiment, andperforms the same operations as in the first embodiment.

However, in order to flow the liquid evenly through the first conduit 11and the second conduit 12, in the third embodiment, a shaft portion 23Ahas a tubular shape to form an in-shaft conduit 230, and it is possibleto lead out the liquid from an opening 140 c at a distal end of theshaft portion 23A by connecting the shaft portion 23A to a liquid supplysource. Thus, it is possible to flow the liquid through the secondconduit 12 from the shaft portion 23A by attaching the cleaningauxiliary tool to the cylinder 14.

A flow rate sensor for detecting a flow rate of the liquid flowingthrough the in-shaft conduit 230 of the shaft portion 23A may bearranged at the shaft portion 23A or the liquid supply source connectedto the shaft portion 23A. As shown in FIG. 24, if clogging 90 is causedin the second conduit 12, the clogging in the second conduit 12 can bedetected by a flow rate sensor 410 arranged at the shaft portion 23A orthe liquid supply source. A fluid supply source herein referred toincludes the endoscope cleaning and disinfecting apparatus, for example.

As shown in FIG. 4, the flow rate sensor 41 is connected to the upstreamside of the air feeding conduit 11 so as to measure the flow rate of theliquid flowing through the air feeding conduit 11. The flow rate sensor42 is connected to the upstream side of the water feeding conduit 11 soas to measure the flow rate of the liquid flowing through the waterfeeding conduit 12

Hence, according to the present embodiment also, it is possible toprovide the cleaning auxiliary tool that is capable of detectingclogging in each of the air feeding conduit and the water feedingconduit when performing the cleaning and disinfecting, and capable ofsecurely cleaning and disinfecting the cylinder inner wall.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments,and may be subjected to various changes and modifications in a rangewhere the gist of the invention is not changed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A cleaning auxiliary tool to be inserted into abottomed cylinder having a bottomed cylindrical shape with one endopened and other end closed, the bottomed cylinder having a firstopening through which a fluid from a first conduit is introduced, thefirst conduit being inserted through an endoscope, a second openingthrough which the fluid is led out into the first conduit, a thirdopening through which the fluid from a second conduit is introduced, thesecond conduit running in parallel with the first conduit in theendoscope, and a fourth opening through which the fluid is led out intothe second conduit, the cleaning auxiliary tool comprising: a lidportion that closes an opening of the bottomed cylinder; a shaft portionhaving a first end portion connected to the lid portion and a second endportion extending into the bottomed cylinder; a first plate member fixedto the shaft portion, the first plate member having a first outerdiameter smaller than an inner diameter of the bottomed cylinder; asecond plate member fixed to the shaft portion and arranged closer tothe first conduit than the first plate member, the second plate memberhaving a second outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of thebottomed cylinder; and a partition portion provided between the firstplate member and the second plate member and positioned between thefirst opening and the third opening and between the second opening andthe fourth opening, that partitions a side of the first conduit and aside of the second conduit in a state of being in close contact with aninner wall of the bottomed cylinder, moves toward the second end portionof the shaft portion by receiving an internal pressure on the side ofthe first conduit when the internal pressure on the side of the firstconduit becomes higher than an internal pressure on the side of thesecond conduit, and moves toward the first end portion of the shaftportion by receiving the internal pressure on the side of the secondconduit when the internal pressure on the side of the second conduitbecomes higher than the internal pressure on the side of the firstconduit, the partition portion, when moving toward the second endportion and when moving toward the first end portion, contacts the innerwall with an outer circumferential portion of the partition portion, andaxially moves along the shaft portion a distance sufficient to allow thefluid to contact the entire inner wall disposed between the first platemember and the second plate member.
 2. The cleaning auxiliary toolaccording to claim 1, wherein the partition member includes a thirdplate member and a seal member provided at an outer circumferentialportion of the third plate member.
 3. The cleaning auxiliary toolaccording to claim 1, further comprising a fixing member for fixing thecleaning auxiliary tool to the bottomed cylinder.